


little uproar

by aelescribe



Series: infatuation anthology [1]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-26
Updated: 2018-02-26
Packaged: 2019-03-24 09:45:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13808619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aelescribe/pseuds/aelescribe
Summary: Jason never tries to be funny on purpose. He finds a lot of things funny, so he’s not a stickler. It’s just not often that he puts in the work to make someone laugh.





	little uproar

**Author's Note:**

> Based on this lovely prompt from kurobeans (who has great writing and u should check her out!!): "A concept: Nico lets out high snorts the rare moments he laughs (he can’t stop either, it’s like he’s having a laugh attack every time) and everybody thinks it’s weird but Jason finds it adorable no matter how much Nico tries to cover the sounds up with his hands and hide it away"
> 
> Decided to take a small break from North and write something cute just for fun. Enjoy! Also posted [on tumblr](https://queerjules.tumblr.com/post/171295412948/a-concept-nico-lets-out-high-snorts-the-rare)

Despite contrary suggestion, Nico is a humorous person. He enjoys telling jokes as much as receiving them. Jason knows this because he is one of a select few attuned to Nico’s particular sense of humor. Beyond a sarcastic quip or crooked smile, most think the son of Hades as devoid of laughter, with a psyche of stone.

As they grew closer, Jason learned the truth and become more and more determined to draw his true persona out through humor. Jason’s own is candid and obvious, the bluntness of which can draw startled laughs from Nico. Sometimes he doesn’t even try and Nico needs minutes to recover from the stitches in his sides.

But he stuffs that gorgeous sound in his pale arms, even as it threatens to spill all over his shaking his shoulders. Every time Jason gets him to laugh, Nico covers his mouth as though he is ready to vomit, and rides out the giggles into silence. He always gives a small sincere smile afterward, almost an apology, and brushes past it.

It was cute in the beginning (but that’s not fair, because lots of regular things are _cute_ when only Nico does them) but now its grown to frustration. Jason wants to hear him laugh. He wants unbridled, rip roaring laughter to fill his ears and he wants Nico to feel it aching in his chest, leave tears in his eyes, and let go of his reservations.

If anything, it’s at least an interesting challenge. The only thing better than unwinding Nico is the fact that Nico _lets_ him.

They’re sitting in a cafe in New Rome enjoying a lull in their respective responsibilities. He sits across from Reyna and Hazel and tries to pay attention to the conversation and not Nico’s jumpy thigh touching his own. When Reyna and Hazel are occupied in their own conversation, Jason rubs his knuckles over Nico’s knee gently, as soft and slow as he dares, to still his nerves.

Nico hides a smile for Jason’s eyes only in his coffee foam.

“Reyna, you must be excited,” Jason says. “Your service being almost up, and all.” Jason would feel more guilty about staying at Camp Half-Blood if he had not already put in more than his ten years. Her courageous acts during the war and overall incredible service gave her leeway to push for a slightly early retirement, which Jason is surprised she proposed herself. He’s also quite proud.

He admires Reyna for her strength and her compassion. She’s stuck with Camp Jupiter this long not only because of how steadfast she is, but because she cares, and she wants to ignite positive change. That’s how Jason is--and was. To make life for demigods any small degree easier is all they want and how they measure success.

She’s proved herself a thousand times over but won’t let it go to her head. So Reyna purses her lips, brown eyes deep and reflective. He dares to meet Nico’s brown eyes, too, letting himself get lost in the dark swirls. “Yes. It will be an… adjustment.”

Hazel lays a hand on hers and agrees, “You can always serve again, too, if you get restless. But you need a break. Being such a great leader is hard enough, not to mention no praetors have gone through what you have.”

Nico nods his head once in agreement. The smallest gesture from Nico translates to the highest praise and Reyna responds with a smile. “It will be nice to sleep in after so long, I suppose. And I’m glad to leave the legion in such good hands.” She glances pointedly at Hazel who in turn shakes her head, dark curls bouncing.

Nico groans and slumps in his seat. “Hazel, come _on_ ,” he groans, stretching his arms to meet her hands in slightly dramatic fashion. It makes Hazel smile, just as he intended. If there’s one thing that deserves his special humor, it’s Hazel. Jason loves watching him make an effort to make her happy. “You’re a no brainer.”

She sinks but doesn’t pry herself from her brother’s grip. “Because of my status as one of the seven, being best friends with Frank, the fact that you’ll _wreak vengeance_ on the senate if they vote otherwise--”

“Because you are determined and capable of making change for the better,” Nico finishes, squeezing her hands. “I’m serious, Haze.”

“So am I,” she replies. “Besides, I’m not exactly praetor material.”

“There’s no one type of praetor,” Reyna stirs the honey at the bottom of her mug and sips her tea. “Sure, there are loose qualifications like being a leader, having suitable experience, and a fierce dedication to Rome, all of which you have.”

“And being taller than five one,” Jason adds. “Sorry, Hazel.”

Jason never tries to be funny on purpose. Not like Leo, who shoulders the paradox of trying too hard to make everyone laugh, and in that, brings humor effortlessly as his fingertip flames. Jason finds a lot of things funny, so he’s not a stickler. It’s just not often that he puts in the work to make someone laugh. He doesn’t need to. For better or worse, people take him so seriously that when he says something even slightly ridiculous they lose it. His remark wasn’t even that funny.

Nico seems to think otherwise.

He lets grips his coffee cup tightly in one hand and the edge of the table, for support, with the other, and _laughs_. Loud, obnoxious laughter. It’s high and keening, almost as if he’s in pain. His breath comes in sharp squeaks that Jason would liken to a guinea pig rather than the prince of the underworld. This laugh is everything he dreamed it would be and then. _Then_.

Nico snorts. And he can’t stop. It’s a strange mix of shrill gasps and uncontrollable snorts. He doesn’t cover his mouth, he doesn’t turn away, he just _laughs_.

Hazel sits with her arms crossed tight, trying to scowl, trying _so damn hard_ , but if Nico’s laughter is anything it’s infectious. Even Reyna chuckles into her hand while her friend loses it over Jason’s quip.

All things considered, it’s a weird laugh. Really weird. A little of the most of every laugh Jason’s ever heard garbled into one painful soundwave. All the same, he’s enchanted because it’s as Nico as it could be. When his head tips back, Jason gets a good look at the tears in his eyes. His adam’s apple bobbing with each wretching laugh. The dark freckles all over his nose. He is pure, unbidden, undone by Jason.

And Jason thinks the only way to ever shut that laugh up is with a kiss.

The thought hits him with striking warmth and once that notion is raised in his mind, all else is erased. All doubts and confusions are gone. All he can do is quell this notion and ride out the tightness in his chest, the warmth in his cheeks, with Nico’s fading breaths.

The cafe occupants attend his laugh but have returned to their own business long before his fit ends. Nico wipes his eyes and tries settling the aftershocks with more caffeine. An occasional chuckle jolts his shoulders but at long last he sits silent, smirking, but unable to meet any eyes.

“It wasn’t _that_ funny,” Hazel finally says. “Good luck getting me to run now!” She turns away from Nico, chin held high and eyes fixed on the door of the cafe. Nico tries to appeal to her reason, Reyna rolls her eyes at them both, and Jason sits still with Nico’s laugh still ringing in his ears.

Sometime later Nico’s hand graces the outside of Jason’s thigh and he tries not to jump. Hazel is grabbing pastries for the road and Reyna is taking care of the bill. “Thanks for not laughing at me,” he mumbles, the embarrassment that usually accompanies his laughing fits fading back in.

Jason tries to banish it. “Of course! It’s--” _Cute. Gorgeous. One of the many things in a long list of why I like you so much. Maybe even--_ “It’s fine. You haven’t even heard my worst. Piper and Leo call it _the chainsaw laugh_.”

Nico snorts. “I can’t even imagine what kind of sound it is to get that nickname.”

“Make me laugh and you’ll find out.” There’s a challenge in his tone that makes Nico flush, to his delight. “Besides, I’m glad you feel comfortable enough around us to laugh.”

“Yeah. You--guys. Have really helped.” He downs the rest of his coffee and stands. His hands brush Jason’s arm when he helps him stand, even though he doesn’t need any assistance, and they go to follow Hazel and Reyna leaving the shop.

Nico falls into Jason’s stride and if they both spend the walk trying too hard to make each other laugh, much to Hazel and Reyna’s amusement, that’s nobody’s business but their own.


End file.
